


Doing Well

by dizzy



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Feelings, Fluff, M/M, New Relationship, Schmoop, high school senior stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 00:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1798297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dizzy/pseuds/dizzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek is re-learning life and Stiles is re-leaning Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doing Well

Stiles loves Derek in the quiet moments. 

He loves Derek in the moments where he can look over and not see a collection of sometimes-traumatic memories, but just... a guy. A guy who likes strawberry jelly instead of grape, a guy who drinks his coffee black, a guy who always manages to lose half his socks underneath his bed and look baffled when he can't find any. 

He spent so long with Derek as this enigmatic dangerous figure in his life, a shadow he could barely get a fix on before it disappeared, that he's just so fucking in love with the fact that he gets to know Derek now. 

It's not perfect. It's so far from perfect, but Derek is more settled now. There's a weight off his shoulder, and Stiles can see how he breathes easier. Derek bore a weight that was never really meant for him for years and he put up a good front but Stiles can see how bad a fit it really was not that he sees the guy underneath. 

Derek seems younger now. Stiles has always known that twenty three, twenty four - they're not really that old. Derek Hale should just be graduating college, should be bitching about shitty internships and spending his weekends getting wasted. Derek Hale should have an apartment his parents still help him pay the rent on and his XBOX should still be one of his prized collections. He should have had the chance to fall in love with someone he could learn how to be in a relationship with, not someone who fucked up his whole perception of what people in love can be to each other. 

All those things he got yanked away from him can't be replaced but Stiles gets a front row seat to Derek allowing himself to rediscover at least a few pleasures in love. Stiles is also a lucky motherfucker that he seems to be one of the things Derek is letting himself enjoy. Little gestures don't come easy to Derek, but Stiles has learned to take them for what they are. Bringing dinner over when Stiles is in the middle of mid-terms, the hand on Stiles' shoulder or the small of his back when he passes by, the way sometimes when Stiles wakes up after a cold night he'll find the blankets bunched around him. 

It's also in all the things Derek doesn't even realize he does - the way when Stiles walks into a room, Derek doesn't flinch or go on guard. The ways he's protective and possessive when it's fun but not at all when it counts, showing Stiles that Derek trusts his mind and his instincts. Scott's his best friend but Scott's never been his partner - Scott has someone else for that. 

"What?" Derek asks, voice soft in that way that's still always a little bit unexpected, that distracted way. 

"What?" Stiles parrots, shoveling cereal into his mouth. He drips milk on the table and on his chin, only bothering to wipe it off his chin. 

"I can hear you thinking," Derek says, looking back down at the paper. He'd like Stiles to think he's reading the headlines but Stiles would lay money on the fact that he's reading the advice column. Reality television and dumb editorials apparently fascinate specimin Derekius Halius. 

"No, you can't." Stiles grins. "If you could, you'd be blushing." 

Derek rolls his eyes, but it's that fond kind of annoyance. "If you were thinking about sex, I'd be able to tell." 

Stiles pauses. He thinks. _Hard._

(Heh, hard.)

Derek snorts. "Okay, fine, now you're thinking about sex. You weren't before." 

Stiles gets up and puts his cereal bowl in the sink. He turns around and upon catching the look on Derek's face and his open mouth completes the spin until he's right back in front of the sink. He turns the water on to rise the bowl out, using his spoon to poke a couple of cheerios down the drain. "I was thinking about how we should go check out that lake." 

"What lake?" Derek asks. 

"B2," Stiles says. He's already skimmed over the paper once while Derek was in the shower. The plan had begun to form then. Operation: Make Derek Take Him on a Picnic. Derek would say no outright if Stiles _asked_ outright, so he'll lay the plausible excuse down first. 

The paper rustles and Derek finds the article. He lets out a derisive snort. "There is no prehistoric monster in that lake." 

"Yeah, but they have sweet barbecue grills set up." 

"And?" Derek asks. He's still reading the article. "If there were anything in the lake, Deaton would know." 

"What if it was like a baby Nessie and now it's hitting puberty and needing some epic camper noms?" Stiles asks. Though, the report had described it as rainbow colored and friendly, it's better to let Derek claim he's facing down a threat. "Come onnn. The common folk need us." 

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out," Derek grudgingly admits. 

Stiles restrains a fist pump. "We could grab some hot dogs and chips and eat out. You can wear those booty shorts you've been dying to break in." 

Derek doesn't even dignify that with a response. Okay, maybe it was Stiles that bought the denim cutoffs that probably ride up so high Derek's balls would be hanging out of them, but... actually... 

Derek growls. "Stop thinking about sex." 

"What?" Stiles yelps. "I can't think about not-sex and now I can't think about sex?" 

"Not if it has to do with those shorts." Derek's eyes narrow and then drop back down to the paper. Stiles waits. He knows this game. Derek will either give in, or he won't. But he's been in a pretty good mood today, so... "Fine. You want to call Scott?" 

"I think we can handle this one on our own. I'm gonna grab a shower." Stiles walks behind Derek, pausing to lean down and kiss him on the cheek. This time he gets a happy rumble in response, so he knows that was the right answer. "And I wouldn't want him lusting too hard after you in those shorts." 

He jumps away, but not before Derek lands a solid slap on his ass. Stiles runs out of the room even though Derek isn't making any move to chase him. He's delighted with himself and life and _Derek_ and already planning how many more quiet little playful moments he can eke out of the day.


End file.
